Rope and cable clamp.



No; 841,165. 4 'PATENTBD JAN. 15, 1907.

A. H. MEEGH. ROPE AND CABLE CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24. 1905.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

ROPE AND CAB-LE CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 24,1905. Serial No. 288,883.

Patented Jan. 15, 1907.

T0 on whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED H. MEECH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chatham, in the county of Columbia and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rope and Cable Clamps, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to cable and rope" clamps, and has for its principal object to provide a means for splicing together portions of cable or rope or attaching an eye to the free end of a single cable. The cables in common use are of different sizes and characters, and in carrying out my invention I provide means for not only securing cables of different sizes, but those of different materials, flexibility, and construction as well.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cable-clamp which will grip the smooth exterior surface of a hard wire cable of the sizes too heavy to allow any bending and making such a firm and positive engagement therewith as to absolutelyprec-lude slipping or failure under all circumstances.

A further object of the invention is to devise a cable-clamp which shall be simple, cheap, and easy to construct, and which can be made up in stock sizes which are applicable to satisfy any requirements.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, combination, location, and arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and

finally particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings," Figure 1 is a top plan view of a cable-clamp embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an end View of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the parts.

The clamping of wire cables of the larger sizes presents a serious difficulty on account of the almost absolute rigdity of the cable for short lengths. In other words, it is prac- 'tically impossible to secure any bend or bight of the cable at the clamping-point in order to give an increased resistance to slipping or failure. The surface friction is, however, an uncertain factor to rely upon, and in the present invention I find means to grip strength I reinforce the the cable without relying on its surface friction and without necessitating any bend or bight therein.

Referring to the drawings and to the various views and reference-signs appearing thereon, in which like parts are designated by the same reference-sign wherever they occur, 1 indicates a clamping element or jaw of my complete cable-clamp, and in practice I form all of the elements exactlyidentical with one another. I regard this as an important feature of the invention, since it permits a very cheap method of construction; but I do not desire to be limited or restricted to the use of identical elements, since this is not absolutely essential.

Each of the elements 1 has holes or apertures therethrough, respectively designated as 2 and 3 upon the drawings. The holes 2 are conveniently in parallel relation and spaced apart from one another, and the hole or opening 3 is located between the openings 2 and extends in a direction at right angles to theirplane. For the purpose of greater element or jaw by bosses 4, around each of the holes, which are cast integral with the jaw or element. The holes 2 and 3 are adapted to receive clamping-bolts, which may be of the same or any desired size, but are preferably made as shown in the drawings, in which the hole 3 is of appreciable larger diameter than either of the openings 2. The purpose of this construction is to render the completed clamp equally strong in all directions, it being seen that the strain in the direction'of the holes 2 is resisted by twice as many clamping-bolts as in the direction of the hole 3.

5 and 6 indicate the respective clampingbolts for the holes 2 and 3. ordinary or any particularly described.

Eachj aw element has a gripping-face thereon (designated at 7 in the drawings) and preferably corrugated. As shown in Fig. 3, each 1 gripping-face 7 lies at an angle between the planes of the holes 2 and 3 and preferably makes an acute angle with the plane of the holes 2 for a purpose which will be later described. I formthe corrugations 8 upon the face 7 of generally ratchet-toothed shape with rounded extremities, so as not to out or injure the cable, and prefer to incline the 3 w 'n n clamping teeth so that'they make a certain .anglevvith the length of the jaw elements rather than lying exactly normal thereto. The use and operation is as fol-lows: It being desired to clamp together a pair of cablesections, (designated as 9 9in the l-rawings,) the two are superposed adjacent to one another sothat their side edges lie close co-ntact. Four of the clamping jaws .or elements 1 are now obtained and suitable bolts placed through-the openings 2, so as'to secure the clamping-jaws together pairs, the separation of the gripping-faces of thejaws of each pair being made to accord with the diameters of the cables used. The bolts 6 are now passed through the apertures 3, which .are' now alined for this purpose, and these bolts made as tight .as convenient. The four clamping jaws or elements are now assembled in :a :unitary structure or clamp whichl embraces the two cable-sections closely; but a final pressure may be imparted thereto for the purpose of giving .a perfectgripping relation. For this purpose it is merely necessary to tighten the bolts 5, which %by virtue-of the wedging action of the inclined surfaces 7 transmits a powerful force to the cables.

.On account of the bolts '5, which. when as- 1 :sernbled with their respectivejaws lie in parj allel planes and virtually form walls of the g cable-clamp, the cable-sections are tightly; inclosed and cannot move or separate or vbecome crossed or take any other relation than 1 the original parallel position in which they were first aced. This is aihighly desirable? characteristic of the invention since in the usual forms'of clamp failure most frequently 1 occurs by reason-of the angular displacement j of thealined sections rather than by .theirdirect separation. While I have described the invention as employing two pairs of side; bo ltsand one pair of top and bottom bolts I do not desire tobe -limited or restricted to any number of either, since two, three, or any; number ofeither set could be used, if de-; sired. g V Itwillbeobserved that whether the cabled clamp is used for wire or rope or .anyother; type of cable the corrugations are always eftectiveito increase its elii ciency. Their angular .relationpermits them tointerlockin a sense with the strands of awire cable and-in the .case of a hemp cable the outer layersare deflected into many bightsor bends, which would impose a powerful resistance to slippage.

What I claim 1is 1 Azcable-clamp compris1 ng .four identical jaws or elements having holes in right-angular relation with one another, and clampingmeans A co operating therewith.

2. VA cablesclampcomprising a plurality of independent clamping jaws oruelements Lhaving holes in right-angularly disposed planes,

and having inclined jaw-faces for gripping a aws having inclined 1 sa-id jaws .in two gles to each other.

cable, and clamping-bolts cooperating therewith 3. jaws faces, pairs of said elements, and means for forcing said elements toward one another in a direction different from said adjustment so as to A cable-clamp comprising a plurality of or elements having cable-engaging "clamp a cable therebetween.

4. A cable-clamp comprising four identical clamping-jaws having inclined corrugated faces, (and lamping-bo'lts forsecuringsaid jaws together.

5. A cable-clamp .comprisingfindependent identical jaws having holes or passages then through in right-angular relation .to oneanother, and means msaidholes or passages for forcing sald jaws into clamping relation to a- .cable.

6. Aicable-clamp comprising independent corrugated faces, .and means for drawing said .j aws in two directions at right angles to .one another. whereby they are c amped upon anarticle.

7. A cable-clamp comprising -jaws having inclined corrugated faces, bolts for drawing directions whereby. said faces may be initially positioned and finally powerfully tightened upon an. .artiole to be clamped.

8. cable-clamp comprising fouridentical jaws, having holes or passages thereth-rough in two directions, and :bolts for .said respective 'holesor passages, :whereby the bolts may be tightened and the clamping members drawn together from two directions.

9. A cable-clamp comprising four elements having ,holes .or passages therethrough extending in two directions at right, angles to each other, and bolts within said hole'sor passages .for drawing the clamping .members together in .bothof said directions. at rigjhtan- I 10. A cable-clamp .comprisinga plurality of identical jaws each having an inclined gripping-face, .and means for adjusting the lateral separation of said jaws corresponding .to :anarticle-vto be .clamped, and finally wedging them into clamping relation-therewith.

11.. A cable-clamp comprising identical clampingj aws or elementseach haying a pair .of holes therethrough ina single plane, and each having an additional hole inadirection normal thereto, and bolts for. said wholes whereby the four clamping -j awsor elements 2 may be .drawn together in two directions at right angles iiOBfirdhiOiIi'lGI'.

12. A cable-clamp comprisingfour .identi: .cal clamping elements or jaws each having a pair of holesior passages ina single plane, and each further having .an additional hole :or passag in. a direction normal thereto, and having corrugated inclined faces, and ."bolts for said holes whereby the four elements or i members may be drawn together upon an armeans for adjusting the separation of ticle to be clamped 111 two directions at right In witness whereof I subscribe my signaangles i0 eafil otlher. f d ture in the presence of two witnesses.

13. ca e-c am comprising our in ependent jaw element each having a face with ALFRED MEEOH' 5 inclined corrugations thereon, and bolts for Witnesses:

drawing said elements together in two direc- WM. M. STOOKBRIDGE, tions' at right angles to each other. WILLIAM DORMAN, Jr. 

